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United States Patent |
5,604,014
|
Onodera
|
February 18, 1997
|
Magnetic recording medium and manufacturing method for the same
Abstract
A magnetic recording medium including a nonmagnetic base plate with
textured trenches formed thereon. The resulting textured nonmagnetic base
plate includes a mean line depth Rv of no more than 500 .ANG. and a
relative load length tp(90-99) of no more than 120 .ANG.. A method for
manufacturing the magnetic recording medium is also disclosed. The
resulting magnetic recording medium exhibits substantially fewer
micro-scratches and a reduced error frequency, due, in part, to the
textured trenches formed on the nonmagnetic base plate.
Inventors:
|
Onodera; Katsumi (Nagano, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (Kawasaki, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
490581 |
Filed:
|
June 15, 1995 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
428/141; 360/135; 427/129; 428/848.2 |
Intern'l Class: |
G11B 005/704 |
Field of Search: |
428/694 SG,141,65.3,65.6
360/135
427/129
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
5119258 | Jun., 1992 | Tsai et al. | 360/135.
|
5202810 | Apr., 1993 | Nakamura et al. | 360/135.
|
5388020 | Feb., 1995 | Nakamura et al. | 360/135.
|
Primary Examiner: Resan; Stevan A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Morrison Law Firm
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A magnetic recording medium comprising:
a nonmagnetic base plate having at least one texturing trench formed
thereon;
said nonmagnetic base plate having a mean line depth Rv, of no more than
500 .ANG.; and
said nonmagnetic base plate having a relative load length tp(90-99), of no
more than 120 .ANG..
2. The magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein said
nonmagnetic base plate is composed of an Al alloy.
3. A method for manufacturing the magnetic recording medium according to
claim 1, comprising the steps of:
providing a nonmagnetic base plate;
polishing said nonmagnetic base plate with a diamond slurry; and
further polishing said polished base plate with an abrasive.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said diamond slurry further
comprises a single-crystalline diamond slurry.
5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said abrasive includes an
alumina slurry.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the configuration of a magnetic recording
medium such as a magnetic disk used in the hard disk drives of computers.
More particularly, the present invention is directed to the optimum
parameters for texturing trenches formed on the nonmagnetic base plate and
the processing of the texturing trenches.
Referring to FIG. 5, a conventional metal thin film magnetic recording
medium shown generally at 10 includes a nonmagnetic Cr underlayer 2
laminated on a nonmagnetic base plate 1. A Co alloy magnetic layer 3 is
laminated in a film form on the nonmagnetic Cr underlayer 2. Thereafter, a
diamond like carbon protecting layer 4 is laminated on the Co alloy
magnetic layer 3. The carbon protecting layer 4 contains polymer like
ingredients.
Also included is a lubricating layer 5, composed of a liquid lubricant,
which is disposed on the carbon protecting layer 4. The nonmagnetic base
plate 1 can be composed of numerous components including one of an Al
alloy, glass, carbon, titanium, or similar components. In recent years,
however, Al alloy has found widespread use as the main constituent of
conventional nonmagnetic base plates.
The nonmagnetic base plate 1 is covered with a Ni-P (nickel-phosphorus)
plating layer 1a. Disposed thereon are texturing trenches which are formed
for optimizing the floating and frictional properties of the magnetic
head.
In order to keep pace with the vast improvements in data processing
capabilities of conventional computers, hard disk drives with larger
capacity and higher storage density are being constantly developed.
Recently, a storage density of 200 Mbit/in has been reported. However,
significant problems plague such conventional high storage density
devices.
The prominence of the extant difficulty among conventional high density
storage device is the defects on the recording surface. Indeed, defects
measuring less than 1 .mu.m on the recording surface cause substantial
errors in writing-in and reading-out of data.
To avoid such defects, the prior art proposes a texturing process which
includes polishing with an abrasive tape, containing coarse grained
alumina, followed by polishing with a small grained alumina slurry,
containing grains measuring less than 2 .mu.m in size. However, this
texturing process, results in the formation of relatively deep trenches in
the circumferential direction of the disk.
Visual scars and scratches, caused by this texturing process, can be
reduced by selecting a suitable abrasive exhibiting abrasive grain
dispersivity. Scars can also be reduced by minimizing contact with dust.
However, significant issues remain unaddressed among prior art texturing
processes. A major disadvantage of the texturing process described above
is that it does not address the micro-scratches which are formed and which
can cause substantial errors in writing-in and reading-out of data on the
recording media with high storage density.
When the texturing process is performed with the abrasive tapes of alumina
grains, a significant number of abrasive grains protruding from the tape
surface remain on the base plate. These remaining abrasive grains tend to
form deep scars on the base plate. The protruding abrasive grains are
primarily caused by coagulation of the alumina grains. Even though the
upper parts (peak side) of the deep texturing trenches can be flattened by
the subsequent polishing step, the lower parts (valley side) of the deep
texturing trenches remain as micro-scratches.
Longstanding problems remain to be solved by the subject matter of the
present invention.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to
realize a magnetic recording medium with reduced micro-scratches and error
frequency.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method for manufacturing
the magnetic recording medium having fewer micro-scratches than the prior
art.
Briefly, the present invention provides a magnetic recording medium
composed of a nonmagnetic base plate with texturing trenches formed
thereon. The textured nonmagnetic base plate has a mean line depth, Rv,
indicative of the surface roughness of 500 .ANG. or less, and a relative
load length (also commonly known by one of ordinary skill in the art as a
profile bearing length ratio) tp(90-99), indicative of the depth
difference between 90% and 99% of the trench depth, of 120 .ANG. or less.
That is, t.sub.p (90-99) is the difference between t.sub.p at 90% and
t.sub.p at 99%, and that difference, t.sub.p (90-99), is of 120 .ANG. or
less. A method for manufacturing the magnetic recording medium is also
disclosed. The resulting magnetic recording medium exhibits substantially
fewer micro-scratches and a reduced error frequency, due, in part, to the
textured trenches formed on the nonmagnetic base plate.
According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a magnetic
recording medium which includes a nonmagnetic base plate having at least
one texturing trench formed thereon. The nonmagnetic base plate has a mean
line depth Rv, of no more than 500 .ANG. and a relative load length
tp(90-99), of no more than 120 .ANG..
An alternative embodiment contemplates a method for manufacturing the
magnetic recording medium of the present invention, which includes the
steps of first polishing the nonmagnetic base plate with a diamond slurry
and then performing a second polishing of the base plate with an abrasive.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference
numerals designate the same elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graph showing the error avalanche curves of the magnetic
recording media obtained by texturing trenches with different abrasives
tapes exemplified by A, B, C and D.
FIG. 2A is a graph showing the error avalanche curves of the magnetic
recording media textured with an abrasive in accordance with the methods
listed in Table 1.
FIG. 3(a) is a graph showing the relation between the mean line depth Rv
and the missing pulses (MP) error frequency for the texturing trenches
under various conditions with a single-crystalline diamond slurry composed
of grains measuring no more than 3 .mu.m in diameter.
FIG. 3(b) is a graph showing the relation between the relative load length
tp(90-99) and the MP error frequency for the texturing under various
conditions with a single-crystalline diamond slurry having grains
measuring no more than 3 .mu.m in diameter.
FIGS. 4(a), 4(b), and 4(c) are schematic graphs explaining the mean line
depth Rv and the relative load length tp(90-99).
FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the conventional metal thin film
magnetic recording medium.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The invention contemplates a magnetic recording medium, which includes a
nonmagnetic base plate, formed of an Al alloy substrate. Deposited on the
Al alloy substrate is a Ni-P plating layer. The nonmagnetic base plate is
textured with various kinds of abrasives during a first polishing step,
followed by a second polishing step which includes polishing with an
alumina slurry. The alumina slurry is composed of grains having an average
size of about 2 .mu.m or less. This limitation is necessary to realize
lower floating of the magnetic head over the recording medium. The
nonmagnetic base plate has a mean line depth Rv of no more than 500 .ANG.,
and a relative load length tp(90-99) of no more than 120 .ANG.. The latter
is indicative of the depth difference between 90% and 99% of the trench
depth, while the former is indicative of the surface roughness of the base
plate at texturing. It is preferable that the mean line depth Rv be less
than 300 .ANG. and the relative load length be less than 90 .ANG..
An alternative embodiment contemplates a method useful for manufacturing a
magnetic recording medium which includes the steps of a first polishing,
wherein the base plate of the recording medium is polished with a
single-crystalline diamond slurry by means of a polishing pad, followed by
a second polishing which includes polishing with an abrasive.
The grain size of the diamond slurry should be no more than 3 .mu.m. In
similar fashion, the average grain size of the abrasive should not exceed
2 .mu.m. The diamond slurry is preferably of a single-crystalline diamond
slurry. The abrasive used in the abrasive polishing step is preferably an
alumina slurry.
It is advantageous to use the diamond slurry because the grains in the
diamond slurry rarely coagulate. Thus, using a diamond slurry containing
grains measuring an average of 3 .mu.m or less in grain size, considerably
reduces the formation of deep scars. Also, the abrasive grains move more
freely in the slurry than on the abrasive tape. Therefore, using a diamond
slurry having grains measuring an average of about 3 .mu.m or less
considerable reduces the number of deep scars formed on the base plate.
This, in turn, facilitates obtaining a magnetic recording medium which
shows a mean line depth Rv, indicative of the surface roughness of the
base plate at texturing, of 500 .ANG. or less, and a relative load length
tp(90-99), indicative of the depth difference between the 90% and 99% of
the trench depth distribution density, of 120 .ANG. or less. Such a
magnetic recording medium is preferred because it exhibits substantially
fewer micro-scratches and a lower error frequency.
The single-crystalline diamond abrasives have less polyhedral corners and
angular abrasives than the poly-crystalline diamond abrasives. Therefore,
the single-crystalline diamond slurry facilitates sharp polishing without
the occurrence of flash. As such, it is well suited for optimizing the
floating and frictional properties of the magnetic head.
The present invention is explained hereinafter with reference to the
accompanying drawings which illustrate the various embodiments
contemplated by the inventor.
Referring to FIG. 1, a graph showing the error avalanche curves of the
magnetic recording media obtained by texturing with different abrasive
tapes during a first polishing step, A, B, C and D, the axis of abscissa
represents the slice level in percentage (%) with respect to the maximum
value (100%) in the wave heights of the reproduced signals.
The axis of ordinate of FIG. 1 represents the frequency of errors by the
missing pulses (MP) from a single recording surface. In the measurements,
a magnetic head with the gap length of 0.3 .mu.m and with storage density
of 46 kFCI is floated 0.07 .mu.m above a storage disk rotating at the line
speed of 9.5 m/sec with respect to the magnetic head.
The grain size is set at the same value throughout the abrasive tapes A, B,
C and D, while their binders and grain dispersivity are varied. The MP
error frequency for the abrasive tape D is the minimum among the abrasive
tapes.
The MP error frequency for abrasive tape D at the slice level of 80% is
7000 pulses. As can be seen from FIG. 1, even though the abrasive tape D
shows the lowest MP error frequency among the abrasive tapes examined,
other prominent errors abound, which are caused by abrasive tape D.
FIG. 2 is a graph showing the error avalanche curves of the magnetic
recording media textured, during a first polishing step, with abrasives
listed in Table 1 together with the methods also listed in Table 1.
TABLE 1
______________________________________
Polishing Roughness
No. Abrasive method (Ra)
______________________________________
Tex. 1
Abrasive tape B (2 .mu.m)
Tape texturing
Ra 70.ANG.
Tex. 2
Abrasive tape C (2 .mu.m)
Tape texturing
Ra 50.ANG.
Tex. 3
White alumina slurry
Slurry method
Ra 65.ANG.
(3 .mu.m)
Tex. 4
Single-crystalline diamond
Slurry Method
Ra 65.ANG.
slurry (3 .mu.m)
______________________________________
Tex 1 and the Tex 2 are similar to abrasive tapes B and C of FIG. 1. The
magnetic head used for the measurements is an MR head with gap length of
0.3 .mu.m with a storage density of 60 kFCI, floating about 0.1 .mu.m
above the storage disk.
It is evident from FIG. 2, that Tex 2 (textured trench), which has an Ra
value less than that of the Tex 1 and is thus finer in texture, exhibits a
lower error frequency than Tex 1. Note however, that a very low Ra value
has its disadvantages. Indeed, a very low Ra value (roughness) has been
implicated in imparting poor frictional property to the magnetic medium.
In contrast, the base plates, textured with one of white alumina slurry or
the diamond slurry, wherein the latter includes a grain size of no more
than 3 .mu.m, exhibits lower error frequencies than that of the
tape-textured base plates. This is thought to be due to the abrasive
grains which are more mobile in the slurries. Since the abrasive grains
are estimated to move more freely in the slurry, the abrasive grains do
not press upon the base plate surface even while the abrasive grains are
pressed under the polishing pad, thus resulting in fewer deep scars.
The single-crystalline diamond slurry provides lower error frequency values
than the white alumina slurry. This may be due to the fact that single
crystals are less angular than poly crystals. Indeed, the
single-crystalline diamond slurry enables sharp polishing such that the
flash may not be caused, and therefore, is preferable to optimize the
floating and frictional properties of the magnetic head. Since the mean
roughness Ra is 65 .ANG. for the base plate textured with the
single-crystalline diamond slurry, a satisfactory frictional property is
obtained simultaneously.
Referring to FIG. 3(a), a graph showing the relation between the mean line
depth Rv and the MP error frequency for the texturing under various
conditions with the single-crystalline diamond slurry is shown. Note that
the average grain size of the diamond slurry is about 3 .mu.m.
FIG. 3(b) is a graph showing the relation between the relative load length
(also commonly known by one of ordinary skill in the art as a profile
bearing length ratio) tp(90-99) and the MP error frequency for texturing
under various conditions with the single-crystalline diamond slurry
wherein the average grain size is no more than 3 .mu.m.
The Ra value was measured in a roughness meter model ET-30K purchased from
Kosaka Laboratories (Japan). The roughness meter is characterized as
having a probe needle measuring about 0.5 .mu.m in diameter. The mean line
depth Rv represents the maximum depth of a sectional profile, without
being cut off, below the mean line (a) as shown in FIG. 4(a).
The relative load length tp(90-99) is calculated initially by obtaining a
relative load curve (also commonly known by one of ordinary skill in the
art as a curve of the profile bearing length ratio) indicative of the
density distribution of cutting depth CVs, the 100% of which is the
maximum length from the bottom of the deepest valley to the top of the
highest peak as shown in FIG. 4(b). Thereafter, the cutting depth
difference (.delta.Cv) in (.mu.m) between n1=90% and n2=99% as shown in
FIG. 4(c) is obtained.
Referring again to FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the error frequency is proportional
respectively to the mean line depth Rv and the relative load length
tp(90-99). This lends credence to the assertion that the error frequency
is effectively reduced if the texturing trenches are uniformly formed,
meaning that the texturing trenches are neither very deep nor anomalous.
In order to be reliable, a magnetic recording media should have an error
frequency of no more than 100 pulses. Thus, it is preferable to suppress
the mean line depth Rv at 500 .ANG. or less. Likewise, it is desirable
that the relative load length tp(90-99) be no more than 120 .ANG.. That
is, t.sub.p (90-99) is the difference between t.sub.p at 90% and t.sub.p
at 99%, and that difference, t.sub.p (90-99), is of 120 .ANG. or less.
The above described magnetic recording medium is obtained by a texturing
process wherein a on-magnetic base plate is texturing with a
single-crystalline diamond slurry followed by a second polishing with an
alumina slurry.
Having described preferred embodiments of the present invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the
present invention is not limited to the precise embodiments and that
various changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled
in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the present
invention which is limited only by the appended claims.
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